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Australia's 74-Year Mystery: Somerton Man Finally Identified
DNA from a single hair strand solves one of the country's most perplexing cold cases
BEVIS
Sagsdetaljer
Quick Facts
In July 2022, researchers announced the identity of a man who had puzzled Australian investigators for nearly three-quarters of a century. Carl Webb, born in 1905, was the person found dead at Somerton Beach in Adelaide in 1948—the body that would become known as one of Australia's most perplexing cold cases.
The breakthrough came through collaboration between Derek Abbott of the University of Adelaide and Colleen Fitzpatrick of Identifinders International, who employed cutting-edge DNA technology to crack the case. Their work centered on an unlikely piece of evidence: a single 5 cm rootless hair strand extracted from the body and analyzed at Astrea Forensics.
## The Discovery
Timeline
16 November 1905
Geburt von Carl Webb
Carl 'Charles' Webb wird in Footscray, Victoria, geboren.
1 October 1941
Heirat
Carl Webb heiratet Dorothy Jean Robertson.
1 April 1947
Verschwinden
Carl Webb verschwindet aus der öffentlichen Wahrnehmung.
1 December 1948
Leichenfund
Die Leiche eines unbekannten Mannes wird am Strand von Somerton Park in Adelaide gefunden.
1 January 2021
Exhumierung
Die Leiche wird exhumiert, um neue DNA-Proben zu gewinnen.
26 July 2022
Identifikation
Forscher geben bekannt, dass der Somerton Man als Carl 'Charles' Webb identifiziert wurde.
When Webb's body was first discovered, it presented an unusual scene. He was found leaning against a seawall, dressed formally in a suit and tie with a half-smoked cigarette resting on his collar. Despite his proper appearance, the body yielded no identification. More notably, someone had deliberately cut out all the clothing tags, suggesting an attempt to conceal his identity.
Webb was carrying a suitcase containing items labeled "Keen," a detail that added to the mystery surrounding his death. For decades, this lack of identifying information—combined with no fingerprint matches in any database—left investigators at a standstill.
## The Medical Picture
Autopsies revealed that Webb had died of heart failure caused by poisoning. His body also showed signs of internal bleeding and an enlarged spleen. These findings suggested that his death may not have been accidental, though the exact circumstances surrounding the poisoning remained unclear.
During the investigation, authorities discovered incoherent writings associated with the case—some suspected to be encoded messages—that only deepened the mystery. Yet without an identity, investigators had limited avenues to pursue.
## The DNA Solution
The identification of Webb became possible through advances in genetic analysis and a novel investigative approach. Rather than relying on traditional fingerprinting or dental records, researchers extracted DNA from the single hair strand and used maternal and paternal relative triangulation to confirm Webb's identity. This technique allowed them to build a genetic profile and connect it to living relatives.
Webb's personal history, once revealed, suggested a man dealing with significant personal upheaval. He had separated from his wife, Dorothy, in 1947—just one year before his death. As the youngest of six siblings, his separation may have left him isolated during his final months.